49ers 2nd-Round Rookie DT Compared to Hall of Famer originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Perhaps the greatest compliment a San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle can draw is a comparison to Hall of Famer Bryant Young.
Young is a Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro for the 49ers who was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
He is the epitome of consistency at the position with 627 tackles, 89.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries across 208 career games.
At least one analyst sees a little of Young in San Francisco’s second-round pick this year, Alfred Collins.
“Given the dominance of San Francisco’s defensive line over the past quarter-century, it might surprise you to learn that the 49ers haven’t produced a defensive tackle with more than one Pro Bowl to their credit since Young was honored after the 2001 and 2002 campaigns,” writes Fox Sports’ Rob Rang.
“Young was big and powerful, but also surprisingly agile and a very instinctive defender. Collins is still figuring things out, but his physical traits are like something generated on AI. If the 49ers hit on him, they truly will have struck gold.”
Collins is 6-6 and 332 pounds and will give the 49ers some much-needed size in the middle of the defensive line. His college team in Austin, Texas, allowed just 2.9 yards per carry the past two seasons with Collins filling up the middle of the Longhorns’ defensive line.
There’s a good chance Collins can start as a rookie, too, although there will be some competition.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.